--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’ve often thought the biggest element of…" description: "\"“I’ve often thought the biggest element of successful writing is the ability to get the seat of your pants to the seat of a chair.”\" — Agnes Nixon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/agnes-nixon-74255_successful-writing_i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-o_3172274.jpg" --- # I’ve often thought the biggest element of successful… ![“I’ve often thought the biggest element of successful writing is the ability to get the seat of your pants to the seat of a chair.” quote by Agnes Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/agnes-nixon-74255_successful-writing_i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-o_3172274.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/agnes-nixon-74255_successful-writing_i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-o_3172274.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/agnes-nixon-74255_successful-writing_i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-o_3172274.jpg) > ““I’ve often thought the biggest element of successful writing is the ability to get the seat of your pants to the seat of a chair.”” [Agnes Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-nixon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful writing requires translating ideas into concrete, actionable form. **In simple terms:** Turn ideas into actions. Key Takeaway Make ideas tangible. Themes writing creativity productivity Mood determined pragmatic Type instructional inspirational When to use this quote - scriptwriting - novel drafting - content planning Key Concepts process execution discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you move from concept to completion? - What habits help you translate thoughts into work? A Different Perspective Ideas alone are insufficient without execution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pants Seat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pants-seat-2389195/) [Seat Pants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seat-pants-676782/) [Successful writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-writing/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-ability-672785/) ## Related quotes > [The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-heaton-vorse/the-art-of-writing-is-the-art-of-applying-the-seat-of-the-pants-to/) [Mary Heaton Vorse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-heaton-vorse/) > [“The way to write a book is the application of the seat of one's pants to the seat of one's chair”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-way-to-write-a-book-is-the-application-of-the-seat-of-one-s-pants/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Writers and musicians know well the importance of extensive reading for successful writing or extensive listening for musical composition. Likewise, visual artists... understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laseau/writers-and-musicians-know-well-the-importance-of-extensive-reading/) [Paul Laseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laseau/) > [“I’ve always had a vivid imagination in terms of storytelling, but thankfully I learned early on that imagination can be stifled or enhanced by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-brown/i-ve-always-had-a-vivid-imagination-in-terms-of-storytelling-but/) [Marvin Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-brown/) > [About a year after I moved to Los Angeles, I decided I wanted to be a joke writer for a late night talk show.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/about-a-year-after-i-moved-to-los-angeles-i-decided-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [My writing ability all stems from the blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/my-writing-ability-all-stems-from-the-blues/) [Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/) > [I think the thing I had going for me is a good pedigree and joke-writing ability. But a good pedigree, for the audience, doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-think-the-thing-i-had-going-for-me-is-a-good-pedigree-and-joke/) [Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/) > [Sometimes I'll go without writing for a while and I'll start to be driven nuts. I start doubting my writing ability. So I'll sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-shattuck/sometimes-i-ll-go-without-writing-for-a-while-and-i-ll-start-to-be/) [Kim Shattuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-shattuck/) > [“Creative writing is your ability to develop your inner tension, your libido, your supply of energy and electric charge, turning the charge into an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-biyuts/creative-writing-is-your-ability-to-develop-your-inner-tension-your/) [Lara Biyuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-biyuts/) > [“Doing it all the time, whether or not we are in the mood, gives us ownership of our writing ability. It takes it out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/doing-it-all-the-time-whether-or-not-we-are-in-the-mood-gives-us/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [I think that's what I love about writing, is the ability to try to, in a sense, take a vacation from yourself and try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-rash/i-think-that-s-what-i-love-about-writing-is-the-ability-to-try-to-in/) [Ron Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-rash/) > [I didn't have that thing that Michael Bolton did; my star power - my charisma - was not a match to my writing ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hill/i-didn-t-have-that-thing-that-michael-bolton-did-my-star-power-my/) [Dan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hill/) > [“Having an attack of self-doubt about your writing ability? Step #1 - Tell yourself - 'I'm the best damn writer there is, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maas/having-an-attack-of-self-doubt-about-your-writing-ability-step-1-tell/) [Jonathan Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maas/) > [I don't know if there is any one secret to successful writing, but one important step is to move beyond imitation and discover what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-don-t-know-if-there-is-any-one-secret-to-successful-writing-but-one/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [To be successful in writing, use short sentences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/to-be-successful-in-writing-use-short-sentences/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## More by Agnes Nixon > [“He said that no matter whether you were describing the major character or a minor one, you had to be able to become each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-nixon/he-said-that-no-matter-whether-you-were-describing-the-major/) [Agnes Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-nixon/) > [“The Great and the Least, The Rich and the Poor, The Weak and the Strong, In Joy and Sorrow, In Tragedy and Triumph, You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-nixon/the-great-and-the-least-the-rich-and-the-poor-the-weak-and-the-strong/) [Agnes Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-nixon/) [Explore all 3 Agnes Nixon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-nixon/) ## More Successful writing quotes > [Writers and musicians know well the importance of extensive reading for successful writing or extensive listening for musical composition. Likewise, visual artists... understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laseau/writers-and-musicians-know-well-the-importance-of-extensive-reading/) [Paul Laseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laseau/) > [I don't know if there is any one secret to successful writing, but one important step is to move beyond imitation and discover what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-don-t-know-if-there-is-any-one-secret-to-successful-writing-but-one/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [To be successful in writing, use short sentences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/to-be-successful-in-writing-use-short-sentences/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [There are three difficulties in authorship; to write any thing worth the publishing — to find honest men to publish it — and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/there-are-three-difficulties-in-authorship-to-write-any-thing-worth/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [To have a successful writing career, you must be willing to sacrifice a great deal. The book, the deadline come first before anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-henley/to-have-a-successful-writing-career-you-must-be-willing-to-sacrifice/) [Virginia Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-henley/) > [Exercise the writing muscle every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/exercise-the-writing-muscle-every-day/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [I have been successful probably because I have always realized that I knew nothing about writing and have merely tried to tell an interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/i-have-been-successful-probably-because-i-have-always-realized-that-i/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [I feel successful when the writing goes well. This lasts five minutes. Once, when I was number one on the bestseller list, I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-briskin/i-feel-successful-when-the-writing-goes-well-this-lasts-five-minutes/) [Jacqueline Briskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-briskin/) > [The best way to succeed is to discover what you love and find a way to offer it to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/the-best-way-to-succeed-is-to-discover-what-you-love-and-find-a-way/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The secret of successful writing lies in striking the right keys on the typewriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-secret-of-successful-writing-lies-in-striking-the-right-keys-on/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The first and perhaps the most important requirement for a successful writing performance - and writing is a performance, like singing an aria or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-greenblatt/the-first-and-perhaps-the-most-important-requirement-for-a-successful/) [Stephen Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-greenblatt/) > [Those books of mine that are remunerative - I'm not talking about poetry here - take years to write, and I am never sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/those-books-of-mine-that-are-remunerative-i-m-not-talking-about/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) [Browse all 13 Successful writing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-writing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I’ve often thought the biggest element of successful writing is the ability to get the seat of your pants to the seat of a chair.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Agnes Nixon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-nixon/i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-of-successful-writing-is-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Successful writing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-nixon/i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-of-successful-writing-is-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/agnes-nixon-74255_successful-writing_i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-o_3172274.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/agnes-nixon-74255_successful-writing_i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-o_3172274.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/agnes-nixon-74255_successful-writing_i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-o_3172274.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I’ve often thought the biggest element of successful writing is the ability to get the seat of your pants to…” — Agnes Nixon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Agnes Nixon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-nixon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I’ve often thought the biggest element...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-nixon/i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-of-successful-writing-is-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-nixon/i-ve-often-thought-the-biggest-element-of-successful-writing-is-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```